Issachar m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekPossibly means
"man of hire" or
"there is reward", from Hebrew
שָׁכַר (shaḵar) meaning "hire, wage, reward". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve sons of
Jacob (by
Leah) and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. A justification for the name's meaning is given in
Genesis 30:18.
Itzcoatl m NahuatlMeans
"obsidian snake" in Nahuatl, from
itztli "obsidian" and
cōātl "snake". Itzcoatl was the fourth king of Tenochtitlan and the first emperor of the Aztec Empire (15th century).
Ixchel f Mayan Mythology, MayanPossibly means
"rainbow lady", from Classic Maya
ix "lady" and
chel "rainbow". Ixchel was a Maya goddess associated with the earth, jaguars, medicine and childbirth. She was often depicted with a snake in her hair and crossbones embroidered on her skirt.
Jace m EnglishShort form of
Jason, sometimes used independently. It was brought to limited attention in America by the lead character in the western television series
Tales of the Texas Rangers (1955-1958). Towards the end of the 20th century it began steadily increasing in popularity, reaching the 66th spot for boys in the United States in 2013.
Jacenty m Polish (Rare)Polish form of
Hyacinthus. Saint Jacenty was a 13th-century Dominican monk from Krakow who was said to have taken missionary journeys throughout Northern Europe and Asia.
Jachin m BiblicalMeans
"he establishes" in Hebrew, derived from
כּוּן (kun) meaning "to establish". This was the name of a son of
Simeon in the Old Testament. It was also the name of one of the two pillars that stood outside Solomon's Temple,
Boaz being the other.
Jacira f TupiMeans
"honey moon" in Tupi, from
îasy "moon" and
yra "honey".
Jack m EnglishDerived from
Jackin (earlier
Jankin), a medieval diminutive of
John. There could be some early influence from the unrelated French name
Jacques. It is often regarded as an independent name. During the Middle Ages it was very common, and it became a slang word meaning "man", as seen in the terms
jack-o'-lantern,
jack-in-the-box,
lumberjack and so on. It was frequently used in fairy tales and nursery rhymes, such as
Jack and the Beanstalk,
Jack and Jill,
Little Jack Horner, and
Jack Sprat.
... [more] Jackie m & f EnglishDiminutive of
Jack or
Jacqueline. A notable bearer was baseball player Jackie Robinson (1919-1972), the first African American to play in Major League Baseball.
Jackson m EnglishFrom the English surname
Jackson meaning
"son of Jack". Famous bearers of the surname were American president Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) and American musician Michael Jackson (1958-2009).
Jacob m English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Jewish, BiblicalFrom the Latin
Iacob, which was from the Greek
Ἰακώβ (Iakob), which was from the Hebrew name
יַעֲקֹב (Yaʿaqov). In the Old Testament Jacob (later called
Israel) is the son of
Isaac and
Rebecca and the father of the twelve founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. He was born holding his twin brother
Esau's heel, and his name is explained as meaning
"holder of the heel" or
"supplanter", because he twice deprived his brother of his rights as the firstborn son (see
Genesis 27:36). Other theories claim that it is in fact derived from a hypothetical name like
יַעֲקֹבְאֵל (Yaʿaqovʾel) meaning
"may God protect".
... [more] Jacobo m SpanishSpanish form of
Iacobus, the New Testament Latin form of
James. The apostles are also commonly denoted
Santiago in Spanish.
Janice f EnglishElaborated form of
Jane, created by Paul Leicester Ford for his novel
Janice Meredith (1899).
Jean-Luc m FrenchCombination of
Jean 1 and
Luc. A famous bearer is the French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard (1930-2022).
Jehoiachin m BiblicalMeans
"Yahweh will establish" in Hebrew, from the roots
יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and
כּוּן (kun) meaning "to establish". In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Judah. Also known as
Jeconiah, he was imprisoned in Babylon by
Nebuchadnezzar after a brief reign in the early 6th century BC.
Jericho m English (Modern)From the name of a city in Israel that is mentioned several times in the Old Testament. The meaning of the city's name is uncertain, but it may be related to the Hebrew word
יָרֵחַ (yareaḥ) meaning "moon", or otherwise to the Hebrew word
רֵיחַ (reyaḥ) meaning "fragrance".
Jescha f BiblicalForm of
Iscah found in the medieval Wycliffe Bible. This name was probably the basis for Shakespeare's created name
Jessica.
Jessica f English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Italian, SpanishThis name was first used in this form by William Shakespeare in his play
The Merchant of Venice (1596), where it belongs to the daughter of
Shylock. Shakespeare probably based it on the biblical name
Iscah, which would have been spelled
Jescha in his time. It was not commonly used as a given name until the middle of the 20th century. It reached its peak of popularity in the United States in 1987, and was the top ranked name for girls between 1985 and 1995, excepting 1991 and 1992 (when it was unseated by
Ashley). Notable bearers include actresses Jessica Tandy (1909-1994) and Jessica Lange (1949-).
Jocelyn f & m English, FrenchFrom a Frankish masculine name, variously written as
Gautselin,
Gauzlin, along with many other spellings. It was derived from the Germanic element *
gautaz, which was from the name of the Germanic tribe the Geats, combined with a Latin diminutive suffix. The Normans brought this name to England in the form
Goscelin or
Joscelin, and it was common until the 14th century. It was revived in the 20th century primarily as a feminine name, perhaps an adaptation of the surname
Jocelyn (a medieval derivative of the given name). In France this is a masculine name only.
Jock m ScottishScots form of
Jack. Among the English, this is a slang term for a Scotsman.
Joyce f & m EnglishFrom the medieval masculine name
Josse, which was derived from the earlier
Iudocus, which was a Latinized form of the Breton name
Judoc meaning
"lord". The name belonged to a 7th-century Breton saint, and Breton settlers introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 14th century, but was later revived as a feminine name, perhaps because of similarity to the Middle English word
joise "to rejoice". This given name also became a surname, as in the case of the Irish novelist James Joyce (1882-1941).
Judicaël m French, BretonFrench form of the Old Breton name
Iudicael, derived from the elements
iudd "lord" and
hael "generous". This was the name of a 7th-century Breton king, also regarded as a saint.
Jun'ichi m JapaneseFrom Japanese
順 (jun) meaning "obey, submit" or
淳 (jun) meaning "pure" combined with
一 (ichi) meaning "one". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Justice m & f EnglishFrom an occupational surname meaning
"judge, officer of justice" in Old French. This name can also be given in direct reference to the English word
justice.
Kawacatoose m Cree (Anglicized)From Cree
ᑲᐋᐧᐦᑲᑐᐢ (Kawâhkatos) meaning
"poor man, weak from hunger". This was the name of a 19th-century Plains Cree chief in Saskatchewan.
Kayce m & f English (Modern)Variant of
Casey or
Case (depending on the pronunciation). It was popularized by the character Kayce Dutton (pronounced like Casey) from the television series
Yellowstone (2018-2024).
Kendrick m EnglishFrom a surname that has several different origins. It could be from the Old English given names
Cyneric "royal power" or
Cenric "bold power", or from the Welsh name
Cynwrig "chief hero". It can also be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname
Mac Eanraig meaning "son of
Henry".
... [more] Ken'ichi m JapaneseFrom Japanese
健 (ken) meaning "healthy, strong" or
研 (ken) meaning "study, sharpen" combined with
一 (ichi) meaning "one". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Keren-Happuch f BiblicalMeans
"horn of antimony" in Hebrew. Antimony is a substance that was formerly used as an eye cosmetic (eye shadow). A hollowed animal horn could have been used to store this material. Keren-Happuch is the name of the third daughter of
Job in the Old Testament.
Kichirō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
吉 (kichi) meaning "good luck" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Kincső f HungarianDerived from Hungarian
kincs meaning
"treasure". This name was created by Hungarian author Mór Jókai in
The Novel of the Next Century (1872).
K'inich m Mayan MythologyMeans
"hot, sunny" in Classic Maya, derived from
k'in "sun". K'inich Ajaw (
ajaw meaning "king, lord") was the Maya god of the sun.
K'inich was commonly used as an element in the names of Maya royalty.
Kisecawchuck m Cree (Anglicized)From Cree
ᑮᓯᑳᐊᐧᒑᕁ (Kîsikâawcâhk) meaning
"day star", derived from
ᑮᓯᑳᐤ (kîsikâw) "day" and
ᐊᑖᕁ (atâhk) "star". This was the name of a 19th-century Plains Cree chief in Saskatchewan.
Lacey f & m EnglishVariant of
Lacy. This is currently the most popular spelling of this name.
Lachesis f Greek MythologyMeans
"apportioner" in Greek. She was one of the three Fates or
Μοῖραι (Moirai) in Greek mythology. She was responsible for deciding how long each person had to live.
Lachlan m Scottish, EnglishAnglicized form of
Lachlann, the Scottish Gaelic form of
Lochlainn. In the English-speaking world, this name was especially popular in Australia towards the end of the 20th century.
Lachtna m Irish (Rare)From Old Irish
Lachtnae meaning
"milk-coloured", from
lacht "milk" (borrowed from Latin). This was the name of a great-grandfather of the Irish king
Brian Boru.
Laci 2 f English (Modern)Variant of
Lacy. This name jumped in popularity in 2003 after the media coverage of the murder of Laci Peterson (1975-2002).
Lăcrămioara f RomanianMeans
"lily of the valley" in Romanian (species Convallaria majalis). It is derived from a diminutive form of
lacrămă "tear".
Lacy f & m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from
Lassy, the name of a town in Normandy. The name of the town was Gaulish in origin, perhaps deriving from a personal name that was Latinized as
Lascius. Formerly more common for boys in America, this name began to grow in popularity for girls in 1975.
Lance m EnglishFrom the Germanic name
Lanzo, originally a short form of names that began with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element
land, Old High German
lant meaning
"land" (Proto-Germanic *
landą). During the Middle Ages it became associated with Old French
lance meaning "spear, lance". A famous bearer is American cyclist Lance Armstrong (1971-).
Lancelot m Arthurian CyclePossibly an Old French diminutive of
Lanzo (see
Lance). In Arthurian legend Lancelot was the bravest of the Knights of the Round Table. He became the lover of
Arthur's wife
Guinevere, ultimately causing the destruction of Arthur's kingdom. His earliest appearance is in the works of the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes: briefly in
Erec and Enide and then as a main character in
Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart.
Laocoön m Greek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Λαοκόων (Laokoon), derived from
λαός (laos) meaning "people" and
ἀκούω (akouo) meaning "to hear". In Greek mythology this was the name of a Trojan priest who warned against accepting the wooden horse left by the Greeks. He and his sons were strangled by sea serpents sent by the gods.
Laodice f Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Λαοδίκη (Laodike) meaning
"justice of the people", derived from Greek
λαός (laos) meaning "people" and
δίκη (dike) meaning "justice, custom, order". In Greek mythology this was the name of several women, notably the daughter of King
Priam of Troy. It was also common among the royal family of the Seleucid Empire, being borne by the mother of Seleucus himself (4th century BC).
Launce m LiteratureShort form of
Launcelot, a variant of
Lancelot. This was the name of a clownish character in Shakespeare's play
The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).
Laurence 1 m EnglishFrom the Roman cognomen
Laurentius, which meant
"from Laurentum". Laurentum was a city in ancient Italy, its name probably deriving from Latin
laurus "laurel". Saint Laurence was a 3rd-century deacon and martyr from Rome. According to tradition he was roasted alive on a gridiron because, when ordered to hand over the church's treasures, he presented the sick and poor. Due to the saint's popularity, the name came into general use in the Christian world (in various spellings).
... [more] Lawrence m EnglishVariant of
Laurence 1. This spelling of the name is now more common than
Laurence in the English-speaking world, probably because
Lawrence is the usual spelling of the surname. The surname was borne by the author and poet D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930), as well as the revolutionary T. E. Lawrence (1888-1935), who was known as Lawrence of Arabia.
Leatrice f EnglishPossibly a combination of
Leah and
Beatrice. This name was first brought to public attention by the American actress Leatrice Joy (1893-1985).
Leberecht m German (Rare)Means
"live rightly" from German
lebe "live" and
recht "right". This name was created in the 17th century.
Lech m Polish, Slavic MythologyAccording to Polish legend this was the name of the founder of the Lechites, a group that includes the Poles. The name probably derives from that of the old Slavic tribe the Lendians, called the
Lędzianie in Polish.
... [more] Legacy f & m English (Modern)From the English word, meaning
"something inherited from a predecessor, heritage". It is derived from Old French
legacie, itself from Latin
legatum "bequest, legacy".
Leocadia f Spanish, Late RomanLate Latin name that might be derived from the name of the Greek island of
Leucadia or from Greek
λευκός (leukos) meaning
"bright, clear, white" (which is also the root of the island's name). Saint Leocadia was a 3rd-century martyr from Spain.
Licarayen f MapucheMeans
"stone flower" in Mapuche, from
likan "a type of black stone" and
rayen "flower". According to a Mapuche legend this was the name of a maiden who sacrificed herself in order to stop the wrath of the evil spirit of a volcano.
Lilac f English (Rare)From the English word for the shrub with purple or white flowers (genus Syringa). It is derived via Arabic from Persian.
Lincoln m EnglishFrom the English surname
Lincoln, which was originally from the name of an English city, called
Lindum Colonia by the Romans, derived from Brythonic
lindo "lake, pool" and Latin
colonia "colony". This name is usually given in honour of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), president of the United States during the American Civil War.
Lleucu f WelshMeaning unknown, possibly derived from
Lleu. This name appears in the 14th-century poem
Marwnad Lleucu Llwyd, written by Llywelyn Goch ap Meurig Hen for his deceased lover Lleucu Llwyd.
Lochlainn m Irish, Old IrishMeans
"Viking, Scandinavian" from Old Irish
Lochlann, a name for Scandinavia. It means "land of the lakes", derived from
loch "lake".
Lorcán m IrishMeans
"little fierce one", derived from Old Irish
lorcc "fierce" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Lorcán was a 12th-century archbishop of Dublin.
Luca 1 m Italian, RomanianItalian and Romanian form of
Lucas (see
Luke). This name was borne by Luca della Robbia, a Renaissance sculptor from Florence.
Lucan m HistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Lucanus, which was derived from the name of the city of Luca in Tuscany (modern Lucca). Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, commonly called Lucan, was a 1st-century Roman poet.
Lucasta f LiteratureThis name was first used by the poet Richard Lovelace for a collection of poems called
Lucasta (1649). The poems were dedicated to Lucasta, a nickname for the woman he loved Lucy Sacheverel, whom he called
lux casta "pure light".
Lucetta f ItalianDiminutive of
Luce. Shakespeare used this name for a character in his play
The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).
Lucía f SpanishSpanish form of
Lucia. This is the most popular name for girls in Spain beginning in 2003.
Lucia f Italian, German, Dutch, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Romanian, Slovak, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
Lucius. Saint Lucia was a 4th-century martyr from Syracuse. She was said to have had her eyes gouged out, and thus she is the patron saint of the blind. She was widely revered in the Middle Ages, and her name has been used throughout Christian Europe (in various spellings). It has been used in the England since the 12th century, usually in the spellings
Lucy or
Luce.
Lucianus m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was derived from the Roman praenomen
Lucius. Lucianus (or
Λουκιανός in his native Greek) of Samosata was a 2nd-century satirist and author. This name was also borne by a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Beauvais and a 4th-century saint and martyr from Antioch.
Lucifer m Judeo-Christian-Islamic LegendMeans
"bringing light", derived from Latin
lux "light" and
fero "to bring". In Latin this name originally referred to the morning star, Venus, but later became associated with the chief angel who rebelled against God's rule in heaven (see
Isaiah 14:12). In later literature, such as the
Divine Comedy (1321) by Dante and
Paradise Lost (1667) by John Milton, Lucifer became associated with Satan himself.
Lucilius m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was a derivative of the given name
Lucius. This was the family name of the 2nd-century BC Roman satirist Gaius Lucilius.
Lucina f Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
lucus meaning
"grove", but later associated with
lux meaning
"light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.
Lucinda f English, Portuguese, LiteratureAn elaboration of
Lucia created by Cervantes for his novel
Don Quixote (1605). It was subsequently used by Molière in his play
The Doctor in Spite of Himself (1666).
Lucius m Ancient Roman, Biblical, EnglishRoman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin
lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.
Lucky m & f English, HindiFrom a nickname given to a lucky person. It is also sometimes used as a diminutive of
Luke. A famous bearer was the Italian-American gangster "Lucky" Luciano (1897-1962).
Lucretia f Ancient Roman, Roman MythologyFeminine form of the Roman family name
Lucretius, possibly from Latin
lucrum meaning
"profit, wealth". According Roman legend Lucretia was a maiden who was raped by the son of the king of Rome. This caused a great uproar among the Roman citizens, and the monarchy was overthrown. This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida, Spain.
Ludovic m FrenchFrench form of
Ludovicus, the Latinized form of
Ludwig. This was the name of an 1833 opera by the French composer Fromental Halévy.
Luigsech f Old IrishProbably derived from the name of the mythological figure
Lugh. This was the name of an obscure early Irish saint, mentioned in the martyrologies of Tallaght and Gorman.